mackey



(No Model.)

l W. MGD. MACKEY. PROCESS 0F MAKING lPQTASSIM UYANID.

Patented May 14,1895.

Nrrnn STATES PATENT PROCESS OF MAKING POTASSIUM CYANID.

i SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 539,279, dated May14, 1895- Aplfalication filed December 5, 1894. Serial No. 530,917. (Nospecimens.) Patentedinelgium November 26, 1894. N0.112,891; in LuxemburgNovember 26, 1894, No. 2,180; in Italy December 15, 1894,1IXXIV, 49;inAustrla January 11, 18951110, 45/119,I in Canada January 17, 1895, No.47,946, and in India February 15 and February 21, 1895, No. 366/94.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MODONNELL MAGKEY, a citizen of Ireland,residing at 32 Victoria Chambers, South Parade, Leeds, in the county ofYork, England, have 'invented new and useful Improvements in MakingPotassium Cyanid, (for whichI have obtained Letters Patent in Austria,dated January l1, 1895, No. 45/119; in Belgium, dated November 26, 1894,No. 112,891; in Canada, dated January 17, 1895, No. 47,946; in India,dated February 15 and February 2l, 1895, No. 366/94; in Italy, datedDecember 15, 1894, LXXIV, 49, and in Luxemburg, dated November 26, 1894,No. 2,180,) of which the following is a specilication.

It is known that by treatment of alkaline compounds such as those ofpotassium, and carbonaceous matter in a furnace with an air blast, analkaline cyanid such as potassium cyanid is formed, but it has hithertobeen found difficult to produce it economically when the process iscarried on as a furnace operation on a large or commercial scale.

This invention relates to meansof producing and collecting potassiumcyanid, which is effected as follows:

A furnace is provided preferably vertical in the form of a cupola suchas is illustrated by the accompanying drawing, showing a vertiticalsection. This furnace, which by preference has a, basic lining, has atthe bottom a tapping hole A,somewhat above it a blast tuyere or set oftuyeres B, at a higher level another tuyere or set of tuyeres C. Betweenthe two tuyeres there is an outlet D connected to any known suitablecondensing and collecting apparatus. At the top of the furnace there isa feeding door E, and a passage F provided with a valve or damper whichmay be more or less opened as an outlet for products of combustion. Thisfurnace is charged with carbonaceous matter such as coal, coke,charcoal,-or mixtures of these and with potassium carbonate or othercompound of potassium which is capable of being reduced'by heating-withcarbonaceous matter.

On first starting, the carbonaceous matter alone is employed using onlythe lower blast and when the contents of the furnace are sufficientlyignited the upper blast is also employed. The potassium compound isthereafter added with the fuel, the process then going on continuously.The combustion maintained by the upper blast and the passage upward ofits products, or of a portion of them, have the effect of thoroughlydrying and heating the material as itdescends.

The two blasts, which are preferably heated, and the outlet at the topmay be so adjusted that more or less of the products ofthe combustionmaintained by the upper blast may descend through the material below.The potassium cyanid formed at the hot zone near the lower tuyeres,with, perhaps, cyanid formed near the upper tuyeres and descendingtherefrom, passes in a state of Vapor or fume along with the otherproducts through the lateral outlet D to be condensed, collected, andcooledin any known manner.

The furnace may be inclined.

Having thus described the nature of my 1nvention and in what manner thesame is to be performed, I claim- The herein described method ofproducing and collecting potassium cyanid, by subjecting in a furnace amixture of carbonaceous matter and asuitable compound of potassium tothe action of the blasts from two tuyeres or sets of tuyeres so arrangedrelatively to an outlet for the cyanid vapor or fume that the mixture isdriedand heated by the combustion maintained by the one blast beforebeing acted on by the combustion maintained by the other blast.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this 23d day of November, A. D.1894.

WILLIAM MCD. MACKEY.

Witnesses:

OLIVER IMRAY, JNO. P. M. MILLARD.

